Few movies are as reviled as 1997’s Batman & Robin. A camp, cheesy, toyetic mess, it single-handedly destroyed the Batman film franchise (well, until Christopher Nolan saved it with Batman Begins in 2005, anyway), Not to mention the fact that it was also poorly cast – apart from a wooden George Clooney in the lead role, teen movie favorite Alicia Silverstone was not the right choice for Barbara Gordon/Batgirl.
In a recent interview with USA Today, the Clueless star discussed her casting as the hero and noted that she would be a lot better in the part if she ever got the chance to play it again.
“I feel like I could do a much better Batgirl now than I did then. It would be fun to tackle it again… Because I’m older and my acting is better. I know I would bring so much more to it. I was just a baby. It was a different thing. But I had fun back then. And I think it would be fun to do it again.”
So, it sounds like Silverstone would be up for making an appearance in the upcoming Batgirl movie, as directed by The Avengers helmer Joss Whedon, right? It sure seems that way, as the actress said that she’s “open to anything.”
“I’m open to anything. Whatever people bring to me and whatever the best choice is for that time.”
There you have it – Silverstone would be up for a part in the movie if it suited her career at the time. It’s certainly a possibility, too, as comic book movies often pay homage to what’s come before, but then again, Whedon’s Batgirl will probably want to steer as far away from Batman & Robin as it possibly can. As such, dredging up memories of the film with a cameo from Silverstone might not be in its best interests.
We still don’t know who’ll be starring in Batgirl or exactly when it’ll arrive on the big screen, but DCEU exec producer Deborah Snyder did recently reveal that the film is the next female-led DC movie on the way, so hopefully we’ll start hearing more about it in the not too distant future.